Credit card batch carrier

ABSTRACT

A holder or tray for credit cards or the like. A generally Ushaped tray has open ends, and sides bent over the top to form a pair of rails. A pair of retaining clips hold the cards within the tray in a locked or sliding position. In the locked position, projections on the clip engage apertures in the sides and bottom of the tray. In the sliding position, channels in the clip engage the rails. Cards may be removed by separating the clips and turning the cards to clear the rails, or by sliding a clip and then the cards out of an open end.

[72] inventor William H. Harger Weaverville, Calif. [21] Appl. No.831,477 [22] Filed June 9,1969 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 [73] AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation Armonk, N.Y.

M [54] CREDIT CARD BATCH CARRIER 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs. [52] LLS. Cl220/223, 101/47, 206/74 [51] lint. C1 1841147/16, B65d 25/06 [50] Fieldof Search 206/74; 220/223, 22.4; 21 1/51; 101/47; 40/78; 271/61 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,198,004 4/1940 Elliott 220/224Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Atlorneys-llanifin and Jancin andShelley M. Beckstrand ABSTRACT: A holder or tray for credit cards or thelike. A generally U-shaped tray has open ends, and sides bent over thetop to form a pair of rails. A pair of retaining clips hold the cardswithin the tray in a locked or sliding position. In the locked position,projections on the clip engage apertures in the sides and bottom of thetray. in the sliding position, channels in the clip engage the rails.Cards may be removed by separating the clips and turning the cards toclear the rails, or by sliding a clip and then the cards out of an openend.

PATENIED 0h 1 2m [NVENTUR WILLIAM H. HARGER B) Z i 77 N. wonwm CREDITCARD BATCH CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThe invention relates to means for carrying and storing credit cards orthe like, and for loading such cards into a work station.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore, credit cards, addressplates, and the like, have been stored in trays and drawers andtransported in similar devices between loading stations for embossing,printing, and various operations involving the use of the cards.

A number of problems are encountered when a large number of such cardsare to be stored, transported, or loaded into various types of machines.Some of the more serious problems are those of fanning, spilling,unauthorized removal, loading, and identification.

Spilling occurs when a tray of cards is dropped, or otherwise disturbedso as-to cause the cards to spill from the container.

The problem of fanning occurs especially in embossed credit cards heldin a large stack. That portion of the card which is embossed is widerthan the unembossed portions. Thus, when a large number of embossedcards are stored one on top of the other, the tendency is for the stackto assume the general shape of a fan, with the embossed portions of thecard representing the open edge of the fan and the unembossed portionsof the card representing the apex of the fan. In this configuration, thecards on top often slide down one edge of the stack, thus disturbing theorder of the cards and preventing further processing where the ordermust be maintained.

The problem of unauthorized removal, facilitating fraudulent use of acredit card, occurs when the cards are exposed to easy and secretremoval from the batch being processed, as is the case with trays havingopen tops.

The loading problem is associated with transferring cards from storageinto an embossing or other mechanical operation unit. Often the cardsmust be manually removed from their storage trays and placed into theinput hopper of the machine and then removed from the output hopper andplaced once again into the storage tray. Some trays, having elaboratelocking means which may be removed so as to permit loading of the cardsdirectly into the machine work station through an open end, present thefurther problem of preventing the stacking of one tray on top of theother because of protuberances of the locking means above the level ofthe top of the tray.

Another problem is that of identifying a given batch of cards. Often atag must be placed upon the cartridge identifying its contents. Thesetags are prone to contain errors and are costly to provide.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the invention toprovide means for storing a plurality of credit cards in such a securemanner as to not permit fanning of the stacked credit cards within thetray.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a holder for creditcards which will not permit said cards to spill if the holder is droppedor otherwise disturbed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a credit card holderfrom which it is difficult to remove cards in a manner which may not bereadily detected.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a credit card holderwhich may be used both for storing and for directly loading the creditcard into an embosser or other such work station.

It is a further object to provide a credit card holder and hopper fromwhich cards may be readily removed through the end thereof and which maybe stacked on top of each other.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a credit card holderwhere the logo or printed information on the cards at the ends of thestack is visible.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a credit card holderwhich may be loaded and unloaded from either end and through the top.

The apparatus of the invention solves the above problems in the art ofcard storing and handling. A generally U-shaped tray or holding means isprovided having open ends, the sidewalls of the tray being bent overslightly to provide a sliding rail and to provide a flange preventingremoval of cards through the top of the tray without their being turnedsideways. The tray has a plurality of apertures arranged in its bottomand sidewalls. Credit cards are held within the tray by a pair of clipsor retaining means. The clips have a plurality of lock projectionscooperating with the apertures in the tray for preventing sliding of theclips within the tray when in the locked mode. The clips are furtheradjustable to a sliding mode in which sliding channels cooperate withthe rails to permit the clip to be slid along the length of the tray foradjusting to various sizes of stacks of credit cards or for removal ofindividual cards from the tray. The clip may be removed from the tray bybeing compressed and lifted through the top, or slid along the rails andout an end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects,features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing more particular description of the preferred embodiments ofthe invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the credit card holder of the inventionshowing the tray (holding means), two clips (retaining means), and astack of cards.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are various views of the retaining means in variouspositions. FIG. 2 is a top view. FIG. 3 is a view of the retaining meanswhen in a locked mode; FIG. 4 is a view of the retaining means when inthe sliding mode; and FIG. 5 is a view of the retaining means as it isbeing removed through the top of the tray or holding means.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are the top and front views, respectively, of a springclip embodiment of the retaining means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. llthrough 5, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described. InFIG. l, in perspective view, a plurality of cards 9 are held with theirflat surfaces in contiguous relationship by holding means lltll and apair of retaining means 20.

Cards 9 may be blank or embossed credit cards, address plates, punchedcards, photographic slides, or any relatively flat object of any shape.The objects need not be perfectly flat, as is the case with embossedcards, nor need they be rectangular as shown, but may be square or anyother shape.

Holding means 10 comprises a tray having a cross section of similardimensions and shape to that of cards Ill. Holding means 10 may haveclosed ends (not shown), one open end (not shown), or both open ends asshown in FIG. ll. An open end is defined as one from which a card may beremoved while the flat surface of the card is maintained essentiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the holding means. Holdingmeans 10 further comprises a first sidewall 12, a bottom wall 13, and asecond sidewall E4. The top wall is partially cutaway, leaving a firstflange lll having a rail surface M and a second flange with a railsurface 42.

First sidewall I2 has a plurality of apertures I6, second sidewall 1 hasa plurality of apertures 17, and bottom wall 113 carries a plurality ofapertures H8. The apertures are evenly spaced and arranged parallel toslide rails 42 and 44.

As will be seen more fully hereafter, apertures 16, I7, and I8 cooperatewith the locked projections on the card retaining means 20 in thelocking mode, and rails $2 and M cooperate with the slide channels ofthe retaining means 20 when in the sliding mode.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the card retaining means 20 will bedescribed. As shown, FIG. 2 is a top view and visible in FIG. 3 is afront view of a retaining means 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, retaining means 20 has top portions 21 and 25, sideportions 22 and 24, and bottom portion 23. Top portion 21 includesfinger aperture 27, and top portion 25 includes finger aperture 26. Onthe outside surface of top portion 21 are positioned lock projections 28and 29. Bottom portion 23 has lock projections 30 and 31, and topportion 25 has lock projections 32 and 33. Furthermore, top portion 21has on its outside surface sliding channel 34 and top portion 25 hassliding channel 35.

While lock projections 28 and 29 are shown positioned below slidingchannel 34 in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, slide channel 34 in top portion 21 maybe positioned below lock projections 28 and 29. Similarly, slide channel35 could be positioned in top portion 25 beneath lock projections 32 and33. It is only necessary that sliding channels 34 and 35 be in the samerelationship to each other as rails 42 and 44 are to each other.Generally, that will be a parallel relationship. Similarly, when thecard retaining means 20 is assembled into the card holding means 10,lock projections 28 and 29 lie in a line parallel to apertures 16, lockprojections 30 and 31 lie in a line parallel to apertures 18, and lockprojections 32 and 33 lie in a line parallel to apertures 17. Whileapertures 16, 17 and 18 are shown as holes through walls 12, 13 and 14,depending upon the thickness of said walls 12, 13 and 14, and thedimensions of the lock projections 28-33, apertures 16, 17 and 18 may bebottom holes of a depth sufficient to accept the lock projections 28through 33.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the cooperation between the card holding meansand the card retaining means 20 will be described when in the lockedposition. In the locked position, lock projections 28 and 29 fit intoapertures 16 of sidewall 12, lock projections 30 and 31 fit intoapertures 18 of bottom wall 13, and lock projections 32 and 33 will fitinto apertures 17 of sidewall 14. Furthermore, top portion 21 fits underflange 11, and top portion 25 fits under flange 15. The lock projections28, 29, 32 and 33 are securely held within apertures 16-17 by springaction in retaining means 20. Lock projections 30 and 31 are secured inapertures 18 by flanges 11 and acting on top portions 21 and 25.

With a pair of card retaining means positioned in locked position withincard holding means 10, a plurality of cards 9 may be held with theirflat surfaces in contiguous relationship. The sidewalls 12 and 14, thebottom wall 13, and top flanges 11 and 15 cooperate to prevent rotationor translational movement of the cards 9 in a plane parallel to thesurface of the cards. Retaining means 20 restrain the cards againstmovement along the longitudinal axis of holding means 10 (normal to theplane of the surface of the cards). Referring to FIG. 1, an end wall(not shown) of holding means 10 may be substituted for one of theretaining means 20.

With the retaining means 20 in the locked position within holding means10, no portion of retaining means 20 protrudes between the flanges l1and 15 or above holding means 10. Therefore, a plurality of holdingmeans 10 may be stacked on top of each other with the bottom wall 13 ofone holding means 10 resting securely on top of the flanges 11 and 15 ofthe holding means 10 just below it. Also, with the lock projections28-33 and sidewalls l2, l3, and 14 of suitable dimensions, there need beno protrusion of the lock projections 28-33 through the side and bottomwalls of holding means 10. In this embodiment (not shown) a plurality ofholding means 10 could be stacked next to each other in abuttingrelationship with no interference between the lock projections 28-29 and32-33 of adjacent trays, such that one holding means 10 could be slideasily past the adjacent holding means 10.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a description will be given of the sliding modeof operation of the invention. To move from the lock position shown inFIG. 3 to the sliding position shown in FIG. 4, the operator may inserthis fingers into finger apertures 27 and 26 and squeeze. This causesside portions 22 and 24 to further bend such that lock projections 28and 29 clear apertures 16, and lock projections 32 and 33 clearapertures 17. In addition, top portion 25 clears flange l5, and topportion 21 clears flange 11. Then, retaining means 20 is lifted suchthat lock projections 30 and 31' are withdrawn from apertures 18, topportions 25 and 21 slide past top flanges 11 and 15 until the slidechannels 34 and 35 fit over the rails 42 and 44. The spring action inside portions 22 and 24 of retaining means 20 serves to hold the slidingchannels 34 and 35 securely in place on sliding rails 44 and 42. Notethat bottom portion 23 is significantly thicker than side portions 22and 24 of the retaining means 20. Thus, bottom portion 23 remainsrelatively straight; bending due to finger pressure in finger apertures26 and 27 occurs mostly in side portions 22 and 24 above fulcrumportions 37 and 36. In this position, retaining means 20 may be slidalong rails 42 and 44 in the direction of arrows 40. In the slidingmode, a retaining means 20 may be completely removed from holding means10 through one of the open ends, or it may be moved sufiiciently in thedirection of arrows 40 to permit a card 9 to be rotated within theholding means 10 and lifted out through the open portion of the top wallbetween flanges l1 and 15. Both retaining means 20 may be lifted intothe sliding mode shown in FIG. 4 and the entire stack of cards 9 movedin the direction of arrows 40 within holding means 10 while maintainingtheir flat surfaces in contiguous relationship.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the manner in which retaining means 20 isremoved vertically through the open portion of the top wall of holdingmeans 10 willbe described. Again, the operator may insert his fingers infinger projections 26 and 27 and squeeze. This causes side portions 22and 24 to bend even further. Bottom portion 20 between fulcrums 37 and36 is of a sufficiently small length such that it will clear the openportion of the top wall between flanges 11 and 15. Thus, the retainingmeans 20 may be lifted vertically through the open part of the top wall.The retaining means 20 may also be removed, as described above, from theholding means 10 by placing it in the sliding mode and sliding it out ofone of the open ends of the holding means 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the retaining means 20 is of a moldedplastic material. Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a second embodiment ofthe retaining means will be described wherein the retaining meanscomprises a bent spring wire 50 formed from a single length of wirehaving ends 64 and 65. FIG. 6 shows a top view, and visible in FIG. 7 inthe locked mode, is a front view of the retaining means or spring clip50.

Referring first to FIG. 7, spring clip 50 comprises a top portion 51, atop bend 52, and a first side bend projection 54. The first half ofslide channel 53 is formed by the bend between portions 52 and 54.Spring clip 50 is further formed to provide side portion 55 and bottomportion 56. Bottom projection 57 separates the right-hand portion of thespring clip 50 from the left-hand portion thereof. Continuing, bottomportion 58 and side portion 59 are shown between side bend projection 60and bottom bend projection 57. Above side projection 60 and beneath topbend 61 the first half of slide channel 62 is shown. The top portion 63completes that portion of spring clip 50 visible in FIG. 7 and lyingwithin the plane of portions 60, 63, 57, 51 and 54 shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 6, top finger loop 66 connects top portion 63 andoffset top portion 68. Similarly, finger loop 67 connects top portion 51and offset top portion 69 of spring clip 50. Offset top portion 68, asshown in FIG. 6, is bent downwardly around ofiset top bend 70, thenceoutwardly to form oifset side end projection 64. An offset bend portionbetween offset top bend 70 and offset side projection 64 forms a bendsimilar to that between top bend 61 and side projection 60 and forms thesecond half of slide channel 62. Similarly, offset top portion 69 isbent over offset top bend 71 and outwardly into offset side projection65. Similarly, the bend between ofiset top bend 71 and offset endprojection 65 forms the second half of slide channel 53.

In FIG. 7, the retaining means 50 is shown in locked position withinholding means W. [n this position, side projection 60 and offset endprojection 64 fit in apertures 17 of holding means it). Similarly, sidebend projection 54 and offset end projection as fit within apertures 16of holding means it). Finally, bottom bend projection 57 fits within oneof the apertures 118 in the bottom wall R3 of the holding means it Theretaining means 50 may be placed in a sliding position within holdingmeans it) by placing fingers within finger bend on and 67 squeezingtowards the center. As side projection 60 and offset end projection 64clear apertures i7, and as side projection 54 and end projection 65clear apertures 116, top bend 611 and offset top bend 70 will clearflange i5, and top bend 52 and offset top bend 71 will clear flange Ill.By moving the retaining means 50 upward as shown in H6. 7, bottom bendprojection 57 is withdrawn from bottom apertures 18, and slide channel62 engages rail 42 on flange 115, and side channel 53 engages rail 44 onflange ill. The spring clip 50 is maintained in the sliding position byspring tension in the wire portions 55-59. in this position, spring clip50 may be moved along rails 42 and 44 in the direction of arrows 4,0 ina manner similar to that discussed above for retaining means 20.

In a manner similar to that discussed for retaining means 20, springclip 50 may be removed through the open portion of the top wall ofholding means by further compressing the spring wire such that side bendprojection 60 and ofiset end projection M and side bend projection 54and offset end projection 65 clear flanges 115 and 111, respectively.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in formand details may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination card tile and hopper comprising:

card holding means and card retaining means for maintaining a pluralityof cards with their flat surfaces in contiguous contact,

said card holding means having wall means for engaging the edges of saidcards, at least one open end, a partially open wall, the edges of saidpartially open wall forming two parallel rails, and a plurality ofapertures spaced in said wall means along two or more lines parallel tothe longitudinal axis of said card holding means; said card retainingmeans being bodily adjustable between a locked and a sliding positionand having at least a pair of slide channels for guiding said retainingmeans along said rail in the sliding position, and a plurality of lockprojections for engaging said apertures in the locked position; andwherein said card retaining means is contained entirely within saidholding means in the locked position, whereby said retaining means doesnot project through the partially open wall of said card holding means,for permitting the stacking of a plurality of trays. 2. An apparatus forstoring, holding and dispensing rectangular cards, comprising:

card holding means and card retaining means for maintaining a pluralityof cards with their flat surfaces in contiguous contact, said cardholding means having two sidewalls, a bottom wall, a partially open topwall,

and two open ends, the edges of said partially open wall forming twoparallel rails, and a plurality of apertures spaced in each of saidsidewalls and said bottom wall parallel to the longitudinal axis of saidcard holding means: said card retaining means being of unitary resilientconstruction and bodily adjustable between a locked position and asliding position, and removable through either end or the top, and havinat least a pair of slir channels for engaging said rails in the slidingposition, and a plurality of lock projections for engaging saidapertures in the locked position.

1. A combination card file and hopper comprising: card holding means andcard retaining means for maintaining a plurality of cards with theirflat surfaces in contiguous contact, said card holding means having wallmeans for engaging the edges of said cards, at least one open end, apartially open wall, the edges of said partially open wall forming twoparallel rails, and A plurality of apertures spaced in said wall meansalong two or more lines parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cardholding means; said card retaining means being bodily adjustable betweena locked and a sliding position and having at least a pair of slidechannels for guiding said retaining means along said rail in the slidingposition, and a plurality of lock projections for engaging saidapertures in the locked position; and wherein said card retaining meansis contained entirely within said holding means in the locked position,whereby said retaining means does not project through the partially openwall of said card holding means, for permitting the stacking of aplurality of trays.
 2. An apparatus for storing, holding and dispensingrectangular cards, comprising: card holding means and card retainingmeans for maintaining a plurality of cards with their flat surfaces incontiguous contact, said card holding means having two sidewalls, abottom wall, a partially open top wall, and two open ends, the edges ofsaid partially open wall forming two parallel rails, and a plurality ofapertures spaced in each of said sidewalls and said bottom wall parallelto the longitudinal axis of said card holding means: said card retainingmeans being of unitary resilient construction and bodily adjustablebetween a locked position and a sliding position, and removable througheither end or the top, and having at least a pair of slide channels forengaging said rails in the sliding position, and a plurality of lockprojections for engaging said apertures in the locked position.